CHURCH ORGANIZATION – JESUS CHRIST ESTABLISHED HIS CHURCH
Under the “The Restoration of Truth – Jesus Christ established His Church” section of mormon.org we read:
“A few hundred years before the birth of Jesus Christ, people had fallen into apostasy. When the Savior began His mortal ministry, He restored His gospel and established His Church again on the earth. He built His Church upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, He himself being the chief cornerstone (Ephesians 2:20)… In addition to the Twelve Apostles, Christ appointed other leaders to assist the Apostles in the work of His Church. These included: Seventies (missionaries), Evangelists (patriarchs), Pastors (presiding leaders), Elders, Bishops, Priests, Teachers, Deacons.”
WHAT MORMON.ORG DOES NOT TELL YOU ABOUT THE CHURCH JESUS CHRIST ESTABLISHED.
6 Reasons the Mormon Church’s structure is not like the early Christian church
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The Mormon Church’s organizational structure is not identical to the organizational structure of the early church that Jesus Christ established. There are several reasons for this.
- Matthias (Acts 1:26) replacing Judas
- Barnabas (Acts 14:14)
- Andronicus (Romans 16:7)
- Junia (Romans 16:7)
- James, the brother of Jesus (Galatians 1:19)
- Silvanus (1 Thessalonians 1:1; 2:6)
- Timothy (1 Thessalonians 1:1; 2:6)
- Paul (Romans 11:13; 1 Corinthians 15:8-10)
Thus, the early church had at least 19 Apostles, and not strictly 12 Apostles as the Mormon Church possesses today.
“Let the prophets speak two or three, and let the other judge. If any thing be revealed to another that sitteth by, let the first hold his peace. For ye may all prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all may be comforted. And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets.”—1 Corinthians 14:29-32
Because the test of a prophet requires 100% accuracy in prophetic utterances (Deuteronomy 18:20-22) and doctrine compatible to the written text of Scripture (Isaiah 8:20), God appointed “apostles” like Paul (who served as a church planting missionary), to oversee the prophets serving in the churches he founded:
“…God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.” —1 Corinthians 12:28
“If therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood, (for under it the people received the law,) what further need was there that another priest should rise after the order of Melchisedec, and not be called after the order of Aaron? For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law… But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood. Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them”
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